Disclaimer. My disclaimer rules
Because it is a haiku
Naruto's not mine..
Okay, well, here's chapter eight. Finding out that not only are there now three reviewers who say this is their favorite fic, but that people are actually out there rooting for me... Wow.
If it wasn't for your great reviews, I never would have continued beyond the first chapter. But I've recieved 82 reviews so far, and just about every one of you said it was great, and to keep writing. I know I've said it a bunch of times before, but seriously. You guys rock.
Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I've been without internet service, so yeah. Anyway, I hope it was worth the wait.
To Hell With the Consequences
Written by PHreek-Boi
Chapter Eight: Lunch or Something Like It
The Ichiraku ramen bar was always busy around lunch. So, of course, Ichiraku Yamato, the proprietor of the fine establishment was far from surprised to see five of his best customers show up asking for a table for eight. Noticably visible from their ranks were Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto, the boy whom Yamato had to repect due to the sheer volume of miso ramen he could put away in a single sitting.
"Where are Sakura and Naruto?" Yamato asked, his gruff voice ringing out over the sound of patrons chatting and slurping noodles. "They're always here with you guys."
"I don't know, Ichiraku-san," Rock Lee replied, his caterpillar-like eyebrows knitting together. "I assumed they'd be here already. I hope Sakura-chan's alright."
"I'm sure they're fine, Lee," Neji sighed. He had overheard the conversation between Naruto and Tsunade, and thusly knew what to expect. As fellow jounin, he and Naruto had actually become quite close friends. He was happy for Naruto, although he could hardly understand all the subversion required in letting one's friends know you were dating.
"I-i'm sure Neji-san is right," Hinata said quietly. "Naruto-kun's one of the most powerful shinobi in Konoha. And Sakura can take care of herself."
"It's such a bother," Shikamaru complained. "I don't see why they told us to show up here if they aren't even going to bother coming." He took a seat, crossing his arms and staring boredly at the table in front of him. "I hope it's important."
"That twit Naruto probably got lost," Ino quipped. "I don't know why you're complaining, anyway. You're late all the time, Shika-kun."
"Quiet, devil woman," Shikamaru retorted with a sigh. "Normally the reason I'm always late is because you keep me up all night, either with your incessant yattering about whatever's pissed you off, or with your constant begging for..."
"You better not!" Ino warned, clenching her hands into fists. "If you do, I swear to god I'll kick you so hard you'll have to open your mouth to take a piss."
"Sex."
"Asshole!"
"Bitch."
Neji, Hinata, and Lee tuned the fueding couple out at this point, well used to their constant bickering. They were also well aware of the fact that sometime in the next few minutes they'd make up and be right back to their usual afternoon ritual in the ladies room. Just like every other time.
"Can I get you kids something?" a young waitress asked, she too ignoring Shikamaru and Ino's bickering.
Lee opened his moth to speak, but Neji beat him to the punch. "We're waiting for friends, so we're not going to order yet," he said politely. "But thank you anyway."
"Alright. Call me when you're ready." The waitress rushed off to another table. Neji watched her briefly, then turned his attention to the table, finally starting to wonder what might be keeping Sakura and Naruto. He knew it must be important, for otherwise Naruto would have arrived already and be in the process of slugging back an extra large bowl of some sort of ramen. The thought brought a slight smile to his face. He oftentimes wondered how Naruto could eat like that without choking to death or being ill.
"They're late," Lee complained. "What if Sakura-chan's hurt? Oh, and Naruto. I should go out and look for her! Uh, them."
"Look for who?" Naruto's voice asked as he and Sakura wedged themselves into the seats between Hinata and Lee. Neji almost laughed on the look on the face of his cousin. It was really pathetic how Hinata was so infatuated with Naruto, who had never shown any interest in her. It was hard to tell what Lee was thinking, as he apparantly had only one multipurpose expression, although to judge from the way his eye twitched Neji guessed he was very excited to be seated next to Sakura.
Poor fool, Neji sighed inwardly.
"Where are Shikamaru and Ino?" Sakura asked, her eyebrow quirking quizzically.
A series of loud thumps, and a squeal of, "Ooh, Shika-kun!" from the general direction of the ladies room answered that question.
"Again?" Naruto whined. "They do this every day! My god! Haven't they any decency?"
"Eh, it's better than the two of them fighting all the time," Lee observed, his brow furrowed and soaked with sweat.
"Lee's got a point," Sakura agreed, and the odd sort of grin it brought to the green-clad ninja's face suggested he was happy that Sakura agreed with him.
What a fool, Neji almost sighed. Quite frankly, from the glances Sakura stole toward Naruto every few seconds, and the all-encompassing shit-eating grin Naruto had plastered on his face, he was surprised nobody else had figured out what was going on.
"H-how are you, N-naruto-kun?" Hinata's timid voice asked. Even after years of friendship, Hinata still couldn't address Naruto without blushing fiercely. Often people wondered if she would ever overcome the problem. It was quite annoying when it came right down to it. "I-i mean, you were closer to Iruka-san than anyone. It must be horrible for you."
"It's rough," Naruto admitted, at which Sakura looked meaningfully at him, her hand brushing across his. "I still can't believe he's gone. He was the closest thing to a father I ever had, and now he's dead. It sucks. Sucks with teeth. But I'm coping."
Quite well, it seems, Neji thought, a slight smile crossing his usually solemn face. Naruto and Sakura seemed to be having trouble keeping their hands, and other parts of their respective anatomies, to themselves. He considered suggesting a brief sojourn to the ladies room themselves, if for no other reason than to to see the look on their faces when they realized he knew their secret. Of course, he supposed, in a moment they would share the information willingly.
"What'd we miss?" the understandably breathless voice of Ino asked. She looked dishevelled, which made a lot of sense considering. Shikamaru followed silently behind her, a satisfied little smirk on his face. Naruto rolled his eyes, and Sakura made a gagging motion. Lee snickered uncontrollably, and Hinata appeared as if she might faint. Neji merely sighed.
"Nothing important," he stated. Ino looked relieved, as if she expected something exciting was up. If Neji's suspiscions were right, she had already figured out what was coming. If this were the case, it meant the blonde was much smarter than most people gave her credit for.
Shikamaru, on the other hand, looked... well, like Shikamaru. His face bore a similar expression to the boredom he always protrayed. Like Lee, he apparantly had one expression that shifted very slightly to suit the situation. It was hard to believe two people so different had somehow ended up living together. As Naruto had said a few times before, 'God help us if they ever have kids.'
"You kids ready to order yet?" the voice of the waitress asked, startling Neji from his silent repartee.
"Yeah, I'll have a large order of miso ramen and green tea," Naruto stated.
"A small order of pork ramen and green tea for me," Sakura said politely.
"Large shrimp and water for me," Lee ordered exhuberantly.
"We'll have the special," Ino stated, speaking for both Shikamaru and herself.
"I'd like a small order of beef ramen and a glass of mineral water, please," Hinata murmured timidly.
"The special and Chai tea for me," Neji replied. The waitress, who had scribbled everything down as people ordered, nodded and disappeared into the back. "Didn't you say Kakashi was supposed to be here, Naruto?"
"Yeah, but he's always late," Naruto sighed. "He'll show up, eventually, and come up with some lame excuse to explain why he was late. Really it's because he loses track of time when he's reading one of his Make-out Paradise books." As if on cue, a tall, silver haired man appeared, most of his face obscured by his hitai-ate and the face mask he chose to wear.
"Sorry I'm late," he murmured, taking the seat between Shikamaru and Hinata. "Y'see, these shinobi from Mist country attacked me..."
"Right," Naruto and Sakura sighed in unison. They had long since become accustomed to the lateness of the silver-haired jounin. He had, after all, led their cell for the better part of three years.
"The new issue of Make-out Paradise came out today, didn't it?" Naruto asked, in an obvious attempt to catch his former leader in a lie. It was one feat the blond had never managed, despite all of his attempts. It seemed the Sharingan Copy Ninja was too smart to be thwarted by his former student.
"If you were trying to trick me into admitting I was late because I was sitting outside the bookstore, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jiraya's latest masterpiece, you'll have to do better than that, Naruto," Kakashi said smugly. "You've got to give me more credit than that. I'm too smart to fall for such an obvious ploy."
"Yes, but it seems you fell for the more devious one," Neji observed. "It was an amazing bit of subversion. Naruto tricked you into thinking you had figured out his plot by being so forthright with his attempt to attain the truth. It was a very impressive interrogation technique. Especially from Naruto. It's a wonder he scored so low on the espionage portion of the jounin exam." Naruto smirked triumphantly.
"I... But he..." Kakashi sighed, his head drooping forward. "Damn."
"I told you I'd get you one day," Naruto retorted. "You should have known, I can do anything I put my mind to. I might not be as smart as some people, but I am a devious little bastard when I have to be. How'd you think I ended up as an ANBU commander?"
"Fair enough," Kakashi sighed again. "I guess that means I'm paying, huh?"
"That was the agreement," Naruto nodded. He smiled at the older shinobi. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."
Lee, looking as uncomfortable as ever, chose this moment to ask a question which had been plaguing his mind since the arrival of Naruto and Sakura. "Say, Sakura-chan," he began slowly, earning a polite roll of the eyes from the pink haired girl and a bemused smirk from Naruto. "Why are you dressed in Naruto's old clothes?"
Tactful as usual, Neji sighed inwardly. Sakura was flushing a beautiful shade of pink, and Naruto was laughing nervously, scratching the back of his head. Everyone observed the couple expectantly, save for Neji and Kakashi, who had snuck his book out of his pocket and leafed through it under the table.
"W-well," Sakura said slowly, swallowing.
"Y'see..." Naruto hesitated, turning to look Sakura in the eyes, who turned to meet his gaze. Both nodded, ever so slightly, then took concurrant deep breaths and turned to address their friends.
"Naruto and I... We're... Um, well..." Sakura studdered, looking helplessly to Naruto.
"We're dating," he finished.
A/N: And so chapter 8 draws to a close. How will everyone react? That's a good question. Of course I know, but I'm not going to tell you. At least not yet. Don't you just hate cliffhangers? I'm sorry, but it had to happen. I promise it won't be long before chapter nine is up. Until then, read and review!